Michelle Obama complains about money's influence on politics, then asks for 'fat check'

July 22, 2014: First lady Michelle Obama at an event at the White House, in Washington, D.C.
(AP)

First lady Michelle Obama is complaining on the fundraising circuit about the evils of money in politics -- while also asking Democratic Party supporters to “write a big fat check” before the November elections.

“So, yeah, there’s too much money in politics,” Obama said during a fundraiser Thursday in her hometown of Chicago. “There are special interests that have too much influence.”

However, she quickly pivoted and urged attendees at least twice to write a hefty check.

“There is something you can do right now today to make a difference and that is to write a big, fat check. I kid you not,” she told the crowd of about 150 at the Waldorf Astoria Chicago. “I’m going to be honest with you. That’s what we need you to do right now. We need you to write the biggest, fattest check that you can possibly write.”

Beyond helping Democrats win in the fall midterms, the money is needed to help President Obama make progress on his political agenda in the final two years of his presidency amid relentless Republican opposition.

“It’s gotten so bad, they’re even trying to block the work that I do on childhood obesity, and that’s really saying something,” the first lady said. “I mean, for most folks in this country, making sure our kids get decent nutrition shouldn’t be that controversial.”

She continued asking for fall elections money by saying: “Writing those checks is the single most impactful thing you can do right now. When you dig deep, when you max out, that translates into staff hired and offices opened and ads running where they need to run.

“You need to dig deep and you need to get everyone you know out to vote this November.”

Tickets for the event started at $500 a person and scaled upward to special donations of $10,000 and $20,000 per couple.